<Gasp> Yes, I said peanut butter. Although taboo in public settings, (due to allergy concerns) peanut butter is a staple in our home and the kids L-O-V-E my homemade peanut butter frosting.
This week we are celebrating the completion of one of my long-range goals: Completing a manuscript and book proposal.
The idea of co-authoring a book began with a conversation with my friend Marilyn Nutter. Long before we met in person, we met online and respected each other’s writing style. During a writers’ conference, we exchanged ideas over coffee and tea in the comfortable mountain lobby. The more we prayed about the idea, the more similarities God brought to our attention.
Marilyn and I understand grief and stress that accompany a primary loss. Marilyn’s, primary loss was the unexpected sudden death of her husband and best friend. My primary loss was the rare genetic disorder, Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis, that hijacked by body in my early forties.
Once Marilyn and I committed to this new endeavor, our days filled with writing, research, editing, and learning the writing craft. Over the next seven to nine months, we would write, edit, and rewrite.
This week, Marilyn and I celebrated these five words: Manuscript complete. Book proposal sent. Marilyn and I live states away; therefore, we were unable to celebrate together. She celebrated with ice cream and I celebrated with cake and a tall glass of milk.
Marilyn and I know that completing the manuscript and sending off the proposal is only the first of several steps in the publication process. But we are celebrating the grunt work.
In our American culture, we tend to celebrate the triumphant beginnings.
We celebrate the grand finale.
Do we celebrate the hours of required grunt work?
No.
We fail to celebrate the difficult steps.
Perhaps we fail to celebrate each step between the triumphant start and grand finale because those steps are not glamorous; those steps are tedious and monotonous grunt work.
This week we celebrate grunt work! Click To Tweet
What long-range goals do you have? How will you celebrate the grunt work?
~April Dawn White
©2017 April Dawn White, All Rights Reserved.
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